Draft beer cleaning and flushing apparatus



June 25, 1968 s. WILBURN DRAFT BEER CLEANING AND FLUSHING APPARATUS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19. 1965 FIG. I.

FIGS.

INVENTOR. SAM PSON WILBURN June 25, 1968 s, w U 3,389,716

DRAFT BEER CLEANING AND FLUSHING APPARATUS Filed July 19, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. SAM PSON WlLBU RN ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent ffice 3,389,716 Patented June 25, 1968 3,389,716 DRAFT BEERCLEANING AND FLUSHING APPARATUS Sampson Wilburn, 2421 Poze Blvd,Thornton, Colo. 80229 Filed July 19, 1965, Ser. No. 472,922 3 Claims.(Cl. 137240) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A semi-automatic cleaning andflushing apparatus for a draft beer system having valve means at the endof the wash line to completely isolate the wash line from the flowingbeer, which valve means is adapted to seat before the tap is removedfrom the keg.

Draught or keg beer is perishable and must be kept cold, usually between+36 and +40 Fahrenheit. The dispensing apparatus through which the beerflows requires special attention at various times to prevent any organicaction which will spoil the taste of the beer. Usually between each kegchange the lines must be washed out and flushed to prevent any suchaction from taking place. A similar problem is also created if the beeris allowed to set in the lines for an extended period.

Draught beer is currently being sold in stainless steel barrels in whichthe beer is kept refrigerated and under pressure. There are two basictypes of tapping apparatus, one being the top draw tap rod and the otherthe more recent bottom draw Golden Gate valve tap, both of which areillustrated in the drawings and will be discussed in the materialfollowing.

The earliest method used for cleaning the lines was merely to disconnectboth ends and run water through the system. This method entailed specialwashing lines and couplings to connect onto the system. Another methodwas to remove the tap rods from several kegs and interconnect them inpairs to obtain circulation from one faucet to another. To make up andremove the necessary connections in the above method was verytime-consuming and cumbersome. The methods were also very inflexible inthat the lines could not be cleaned until the kegs were empty.

A more recent method has been developed to alleviate the problems, whichmethod is the subject matter of my US. Patent No. 3,044,483. Briefly, itincludes a built-in wash line which passes down through the center ofthe tap rod with a check valve at the end of the rod to pre vent thewash water from entering the keg. Water is introduced into the washline, passing back up the tap rod and out through the tubing to the drawbox. There are no special connecting or disconnecting operations. It isnot necessary to remove the tap rod from the keg. The only disadvantageof the system is that as the beer is being used it has a tendency toslowly move up the open end of the wash line. After it sets in the linefor a certain length of time it begins to stagnate. If the beer thenpasses back out the end of the wash line it will taint the taste of beerdrawn from subsequent kegs.

In the bottom draw type kegs there is also a problem check valve at theend of the wash line to completely isolate the wash line from theflowing beer. The present invention has also eliminated the problem ofspillage by constructing the check valve so that it seats before the tapis removed from the keg.

It is therefore the principal objective of the present invention toprovide a novel and improved cleaning and flushing apparatus for thelines and rods of a draught beer installation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning and flushingapparatus which is integral with the beer dispensing installation so asto permit the cleaning without setting up and connecting separateflushing lines to the system.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning andflushing apparatus which is adapted to clean the entire conduct systemfrom the base of the tap rod to the dispensing faucet withoutdisconnecting the keg or any of the component parts thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an integral cleaning andflushing apparatus in a tap beer installation which is completelyisolated from the flowing beer when it is not in use.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide in a draught beerinstallation a tapping coupling which prevents any spillage of beer fromthe disconnected lines.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improvedcleaning and flushing apparatus for a draught beer installation which issemi-automatic, easy to install, simple to operate, reliable, low costand durably constructed.

Other objects which will be in part apparent and in part pointed outspecifically hereafter in connection with the description of thedrawings that follows and in which;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective partially diagrammatic view of a bottom drawdraft beer installtion illustrating the relative locations of the tapcoupling, the tap lines and faucets, the gas line, and the wash linewith its related components.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the tap coupling shown in solid line inlocking engagement with its corresponding valve and in dotted line inthe release position.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the coupling and valve in lockingengagement taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view of the coupling and valve takenalong lines 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the Golden Gate type valve with the tapcoupling removed.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side view of the engaging end of the tapcoupling.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary end view of the engaging end of the tapcoupling.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmenetary sectional view of applicants invention in amodified form.

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIGURE 1, a draftbeer system is shown in simplified form and is generally identified byreference numeral 10. Various details of the system such as the coilbox, refrigeration means, and gas source have not been shown in theinterest of simplicity since they have no bearing on the presentinvention. In most commercial beer installations, more than one keg isused and these are connected in parallel with one another. These kegsare generally housed in a large refrigeration unit which is locatedremotely of the dispensing taps. In some installations the kegs are keptin the basement or in a separate rather than in the top center as doesthe older type tap rod fitting which is shown in FIGURE 8. The coupling14 attaches to and opens a valve 16 which is mounted in the keg. Thevalve 16 is commonly known in the trade today as a Golden Gate typevalve. Rcleasably attached to the coupling 14 are two flexible lines.The first line 18 carries the beer from the keg to the dispensing faucet20. In the drawing, line 18 is simply illustrated but in actual usesometimes its length is well over a few hundred feet. Usually the beeris run through a set of cooling coils immediately preceding the faucetwhich are not shown in the present drawings. Positioned below the faucet20 is a common waste drain 22. Also connected to the coupling 14 is awash line 24 which carries the cleaning chemicals and flushing waterthrough the lines of the system. The opposite end 26 of the wash line isconnected to a common water line. The valves 28 and 30 are kept closedwhile the flushing operation is not in use. Receptacle 32 contains thecleaning chemicals which are Washed through the system by opening valves28 and 30. The ends 34 of the recetpacle are removable so that a newcharge of chemicals can be inserted after each cleaning operation. Tobegin the cleaning operation, faucet 20 and valves 28 and 30 are opened.This releases water pressure through end 26 of the wash line. The waterpasses through the receptacle 32 carrying the chemicals and down thewash line 24. The dissolved chemicals pass through the tap coupling 14,up the beer line and out the faucet 20. Valve 30 is left open until thebeer lines 18 are completely flushed of any trace of the cleaningchemicals. Valves 28 and 30 are then closed and the system is ready foruse. Line 36 which attaches to the top of the keg by means of fitting38, is an air line which supplies compressed air or gas to the keg 12.

The novel and improved tap coupling 14 attaches to the keg 12 by meansof a Golden Gate valve 16 as seen in detail in FIGURES 2 through 6. Thevalve 16 is mounted flush with the wall 40 of the keg, as can be seen inFIGURE 3. An end view of the valve 16 with the tap removed is shown inFIGURE 5. The valve body 42 has a centrally disposed recessed opening 44in its outer end which is adapted to accept the end or" the tap coupling14.

Peripherally spaced in the opening are a pair of oppositely positionednotches 46 which permit the tabs 43 on the tap coupling 14 to enter theopening 44.

The valve entails a sliding plate 52 which covers a valve opening 50.The oblong plate 52 is piovtally mounted at its center and held tightlyagainst the valve body surface 56 by means of a pin or valve stem 54.Formed at the outward end of the valve stem is a diamond-shapedoperating lug 58. When the stem and plate are rotated 90 the valve isfully open. The valve is operated by a lug 5S engaging opening 60 in theend of the tap coupling 14.

The improved tap coupling is substantially L shaped with the wash lineconnection branching off from the main passage. The end portion 62 ofthe cou ling which engages the keg is the standard fitting used with aGolden Gate type valve. oppositely spaced around the periphery of theend portion 62 are a pair of wedge-shaped locking tabs 48. As the tapcoupling 14 is inserted in the valve opening 44 the tabs 48 must bealigned with the corresponding notches 46 in the opening. Once the tabs48 are inside the flange 64 of the valve body, the tap coupling 14 isfree to rotate into sealed engagement with the valve.

Because of the wedge shape of the flanges 64, as the coupling is rotatedit is forced inward toward the valve. A rubber washer 68 carried on thecoupling is pressed into sealing engagement with the shoulder 66 of thevalve body, as can be seen in FIGURE 3. As the tap coupling 14 isintroduced into the valve opening 44 it is in the dotted line positionshown in FIGURE 2. The coupling is rotated through a 90 are to its fullylocked position as seen in full line in the same figure. As the couplingis inserted in the valve opening 44 the lug engaging opening 60 engagesthe operating lug S8 of the valve stem. As the tap coupling 14 isrotated into sealing engagement the valve 16 is opened at the same time.Conversely as the tap coupling is rotated for removal the valve isclosed, which permits the tap to be engaged or disengaged when the kegis not empty. in the old tap rod type fittings once the keg was tappedthe rod could not be removed until the keg was empty.

The wash line 76 which intersects with the tap line 7t) has a enlargedintersection portion 72 which contains a two-way ball type check valve74. In the prior art type wash lines, such as shown in Patent No.3,044,483, there is only a one-way check valve to prevent the water fromthe wash line from entering the keg. The pres nt invention incorporatesa second check valve in the wash line to prevent any beer from flowinginto the wash line and creating the stagnation problem previouslymentioned. Attention is again directed to the solid line position of thetap coupling 14 in FIGURE 2. The wash line 76 is tilted downwardly atapproximately a 20 angle from a horizontal plane. This angle issufiicient to cause the hall in the check valve 74 to roll down and seatagainst the passage opening 75 in the wash line. As the beer flows outof the keg and through the tap line 70 the wash line 76 is closed. Whenit comes time to disconnect the tap the coupling 14 is rotated to thedisconnect position, as indicated in dotted line in FIGURE 2. In thisposition the wash line 76 is tilted upward causing the ball in the checkvalve 74 to roll downward and seat in the tap line 70. This prevents anyspillage of beer which is standing in the tap line as the tap coupling14 is removed from the keg. The wash lines of the prior art in bottomdraw type fittings are positioned axially down the center of the tapline. The check valve is also horizontally disposed and is therefore notseated when the fitting is disconnected. In these types of check valvesa certain amount of beer will get around ball check valves before theflow causes it to seat. This undesirable feature is one of the problemsthe present invention corrects.

The cleaning and flushing operation is normally accomplished after thetap coupling is disconnected from the keg. As the dissolved chemicalsenter the wash line 76 the ball check 74 has already seated in the tapline 70 preventing any of the Wash water from passing out thedisconnected end of the coupling 14. As the tap coupling 14 is connectedto a new keg the ball check 74 again seats in the end of the wash lineand the cycle is repeated.

FIGURE 8 sets forth a modified form of the persent invention for use ina conventional tap rod type draft beer installation. The tap rodapparatus generally designated by reference numeral 78, is centrallydisposed in the top of a beer keg 80. The removable tap rod 82 extendsdownwardly to the bottom of keg at a point where the beer is drawn. Thetap rod 82 is held in the keg by means of a releasable sleeve coupling84. The coupling includes an expander ring 86 of rubber-like materialwhich fits into the opening 88 in the keg. The coupling 84 is lockedinto sealed engagement with the keg by means of a threaded sleeve 90which is tightened against the expander ring 21. Passing through thecoupling 82 to the interior of the keg is an air passage 92 whichconnects with an air pressure line 94. The coupling 82 includes a secondexpander ring 96 which holds the tap rod 82 in sealing engagement whenthe threaded sleeve 98 is tightened against the expander ring 96. At theupper end of the tap rod 82 is a right angle connecting head to whichthe flexible tap line 18a is connected. Also included in the connectinghead 109 is a common plug type valve 102 which is used to shut off theflow of the beer. All of the previously mentioned elements of the taprod apparatus are conventional and well known in the trade.

The wash line 104 passes down through the center of the tap rod 82 toapproximately the bottom of the rod.

Positioned in the opening 106 at the bottom of the rod is a ball checkvalve 108 which allows beer to enter the tap rod but prevents any of thewash water from entering the keg. Tabs 110 attached to the inside of therod 82 act as limit stops for the ball 103. Positioned at the bottom endof the wash line 104 is a second ball check valve 112 which prevents thebeer from entering the wash line. Surrounding the ball 112 is a Wireguard 114 which keeps the ball in alignment with the opening 116 in thewash line. The ball 112 is constructed of a plastic or similar materialwhich has a lighter density than beer. When the beer enters the tap rodthe ball 112 will float upward and seat in the opening 116 thuspreventing the beer from entering the wash line.

It is understood that variations from the form of this inventiondisclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scopeof the invention and that drawings and specification are to beconsidered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

What is claimed is:

1. A tap coupling for use in connecting both a wash line and a beerdispensing line to a key having a shut-off valve, in a draft beerinstallation comprising: a body portion having means for releasably androtatably connecting the coupling to the shut-ofi valve of the beer kegin a fluid-tight relation, 21 pair of intersecting first and secondpassages in said body both of which connect and form a common passage tothe interior of the keg via the shut-off valve, a first valve seatlocated at the intersection of said passages, a second valve seatlocated in the second passage remote from the first valve seat, ballcheck means positioned within said second passage for movement thereinbetween the first and second valve seats and being adapted toselectively close either said common passage to tlow into the keg viathe shut-oil valve while permitting tluid to flow from said secondpassage into said first passage or close said second passage to flow outof the keg while permitting fluid flow from said keg through said firstpassage wherein the ball of said ball check means is adapted to beselectively gravity actuated into seating relation with either one ofsaid first and second seats upon selected rotational positioning of saidcoupling with respect to the shut-off valve.

2. A tap coupling as set forth in claim 1 including means on said bodyportion adapted to releasably connect with the beer keg shut ofi valveand move same between its open and closed positions by rotationalmovement of the fitting from a first position adapted to close theshut-off valve wherein the second passage is downwardly inclined towardsaid first valve seat causing the ball to seat in said first valve seatto a second position adapted to open the shut-off valve wherein thesecond passage is downwardly inclined toward the second valve seatcausing the ball to seat therein.

3. A tap coupling as set forth in claim 1 wherein said releasableconnecting means is engaged by rotating said coupling from a firstposition wherein the second passage is downwardly inclined toward saidfirst seat to a second position wherein the second passage is downwardlyinclined toward the second seat.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,120,865 6/1938 Kleman 137---2382,237,014 4/ 1941 Stoehrer 137--238 X 2,314,100 3/1943 Panogopoulos137-238 3,044,483 7/1962 Wilburn 137239 3,115,149 12/1963 Tonna 137--2403,115,150 12/1963 Sariotti 13724O CLARENCE R. GORDON, Primary Examiner.

